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The Story of The Avocado And Sushi

The American-Made Sushi With Avocado

The avocado fruit is foreign to Japan and not many know that it’s not commonly used in sushi rolls. In the late 1970s, the avocado became available in Japanese supermarkets, mostly from Mexico. It’s the ‘ butter of the forest’ the Japanese called it, for its buttery consistency, rich flavor and high calorie content.

When sushi came to the US in 1970, Americans started to gravitate to this delicacy. And there were no avocados in sushi then.

In Los Angeles, some 45 years ago, a Japanese chef was finding it hard sourcing toro for his sushi. The tasty, fatty portion of the tuna, with its melt-in-your-mouth consistency, was integral to his sushi menu. Since it was not readily available in California, he shifted to avocado instead. Avocado has the same toro consistency, it was abundant in the state and popular with Americans, especially those who also like Mexican cuisine. The sushi with avocado caught on and became widely accepted.

Other specialty rolls were developed also using avocado. The California Roll, another Japanese invention in the US, uses avocado. The California roll has avocado, crabmeat or imitation crab and cucumbers and it became the most iconic of all rolls, famous all over the world. Then there’s the simple but equally delicious Avocado Roll, with just the fruit and rice. Then there’s the Caterpillar Roll, the more expensive roll but the most well-known sushi roll in the 9 to 14 dollar range.

Known for their healthy fats, the monounsaturated type, the avocado in fact is the only fruit well-loaded with it, 20 times the average for other fruits. There are close to 20 different vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients in avocados. These include 6% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 10% folate, 11% fiber, 2% iron, 6% potassium and 136 micrograms of lutein per 50g serving.

Avocados have well-known benefits. The fruit maintains cholesterol levels, protects against osteoporosis from the high amounts of Vitamin K, reduces the risk of cancer and improves vision, to name a few.

Sushi With Benefits

Dine and taste our classics at your favorite sushi place in Lynnwood. Wild Wasabi offers delicious selections of sushi, among them the California Roll, the Caterpillar Roll, and our own Avocado Roll.